Erasure were already on an upward arc but even the now veteran hitmaker Vince Clarke was probably a little surprised at just how big The Innocents got, a huge success in the UK and elsewhere as well as spawning two American breakthrough singles via the energetic pep of “Chains of Love” and the sweeping, lovesick “A Little Respect.” Both showcased Andy Bell in amazing voice, matched throughout the album on songs like “Phantom Bride” and “Yahoo!,” while Clarke’s ear for perfect synthpop confections, hook after hook, was in its total prime.